Better Hygiene, Higher Risk of Alzheimer’s – Huh!! – Smilecast 80

Better Hygiene Linked to Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s – Hear This Out!

With all the emphasis on hand hygiene to prevent infection and the whole hullababllo over hospital acquired infections comes this story.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge and Department of Anthropology, University of Utah have suggested that better hygiene leads to more risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. The “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that certain aspects of modern life (e.g. antibiotics, sanitation, clean drinking-water, paved roads) are associated with lower rates of exposure to microorganisms critical for the regulation of the immune system.

Individuals whose early life circumstances were characterized by less exposure to infectious agents exhibit higher rates of autoimmune disorders, which can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

So in other words our bodies need to be exposed to be able to build up immunity. If not, the inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s is allowed to spread. And when you live in a “sanitary” society, well, you are less exposed to microbes.

What did your parents always say? Something about having to eat a pound of dirt before we die.